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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. PPEIFER.

' AUTOGRAPHIG REGISTER. No. 496,894. Patented May 9,1893.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)'.

J. PPEIPER.. AUTOGRAPHIG REGISTER.

Patented Ma.y 9,-1893.

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(No'ModeL) J-. PFEIFER, AUTOGRAPHIG REGISTER.

4 SheetsSheet 3.

Patented May 9, 1893.

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J. PPEIPER. AUTOGRAPHIG REGISTER.

No. 496,894. Patented May 9, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PFEIFER, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTERCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,894, dated May 9,1893.

Application filed November 19,1892. Serial No. 452,555- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PFEIFER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Autographic Registers,of which the following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

- My invention consists in certain novel constructions, arrangements andcombinations of various parts of the machine, all of which will behereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved register; Fig. 2 a vertical central section of the same lookingtoward the left hand side of the machine; Fig. 3 a vertical section ofthe machine just within the right hand side of the casing, lookingtoward the right; Fig. 4 an enlarged sectional detail of the lid,writing tablet, paper and carbon strips passed over the latter, and thecarbon strip receptacle, showing the novel arrangement of the carbonstrip; Fig 5 an enlarged sectional detail of the frictional drivingdevice for the storage reel; Fig. 5 a sectional detail of the springbearing for the opposite end of the reel; Fig. 6 a vertical sectionthrough the middle of the machine, showing a modification in theconstruction and arrangement of some of the parts; Fig. '7 an enlargedsectional detail longitudinally through the writing tablet and partsabove it; and Fig. 8 a sectional detail of one of the bearings for thepaper strip supply-rolls and the spring catch-plate therein.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate identical parts inall the figures.

The casing A of the machine, of the usual or any suitable shape, isprovided with a lid B hinged to the side plates of the casing at O andprovided on its under side near its opposite end with a-catch plate Dwith which cooperates a hooked latch E pivoted at F to the end wall ofthe casing and provided at its lower end with a stud G which projectsthrough aslot in said wall. Aspring G yieldingly holds the lower end ofthe latch in its right hand position. By moving the stud G to the leftin this slot the upper end. of the latch E will be thrown to the rightand disengaged from the catch upon the lid, whereupon the latter is freeto be swung upward and forward toor beyond a verticalposition to giveaccess to the interior of the casing. At its'opposite end the casing isprovided with a door H hinged to the side plates at I and controlled bya lock J. This door is unlocked and opened to give access to the storagereel, hereinafter described. The paper strips, in this instance three innumber, are carried in rolls K L M mounted uponspindles supported attheir opposite ends in bearings upon the side plates of the casing, ashereinafter described. From the supply-rolls the paper strips are ledupward over the front end of the writingtablotN, thenceforward over saidtablet and between a pair of feed-rollers OP,

whence the two upperstrips, constituting the check-strips, are led outof the machine through a transverse slot at Q, while the lower one ofthe three strips, constituting the record-strip, is led forward anddownwardbehind a glass-covered window R, over a guide roller S, andthence around the storage-reel T hereinafter referred to. The plate N,constituting the writing tablet, is hinged to the opposite side platesof the. casing at U, andat its opposite end rests upon lugs V upon saidside plates. When the lid of the casing is swung upward to verticalposition the plate N may likewise be swung upward, to give access to thesupply-rolls of the paper strips. The lid B is provided with arectangular opening W above the writing tablet N and preferably with across bar X extending transversely of the opening W near its lower endand dividing it into two parts, for the purpose hereinafter explained.The upper feed-roller O is journaled in a housing formed on the lid Band is driven from the roller P either by gearing or by friction alone.At or near its middle the roller 0 is provided with a circumferentialgroove in which fits a pressure roller Y carried by a vertically-movableblock Z confined in a tubular'housing A. A coiled spring B is confinedin the housing A above the block Z and its pressure upon said block isregulated by a set screw 0 which extends through the top of the housinginto positionto be turned by a screw-d river. By means of the screw thepressure of the feed-roller 0 upon the feed-roller P may be adjusted asdesired, and as the pressure is applied to the roller 0 at its middle,the latter is caused to bear upon the roller P with approximately equalpressure throughout its length. The operating handle or crank D,Fig. 1,is fast upon the left hand projecting end of the spindle or shaft of thefeed-roller P. At its right hand end the roller P has fast upon it a.sprocketwheel E over which is passed an endless sprocket-chain F whichdrives the storagereel T. The storage-reel T consists preferably of acomparatively large wooden roller which is provided at its left hand endwith a projecting journal G which has its bearing in a plate H which ishinged to the side plate of the casing at one end, as seen in Figs. 2and 5 and spring-pressed against the end of the roller T. At itsopposite end the roller T is confined within a circular flange 1 upon adisk J, Fig. 5, and abuts against said disk. The disk J is carried by asleeve K loosely mounted upon a stub shaft L secured to the side plateof the casing. The sleeve K has fast upon it a sprocket-wheel M overwhich the chain F passes. The disk J is thus driven from the feed-rollerP, and the storage-reel T is driven by frictional contact with saiddisk. The relative diameters of the feed-roller P and the roller T ofthe storage-reel, and of the sprocket-wheels E M, are such that thestorage-reel tends to draw forward the recordstrip faster than it isadvanced by the feedrollers, but the frictional connection between thedisk J and roller T permits the former to turn independently of thelatter when the resistance offered by the record-strip is suflicient toovercome the frictional connection between the roller and disk, and thusthe storage-reel is caused to wind up the exact quantityof therecord-strip advanced toit by the feed-rollers. I have shown the flangeI of the disk J as provided with a milled or toothed edge in Fig. 3 anda pawl N springpressed against the same to prevent backward movement;.of the parts. Likewise I have shown a pawl O co-operating with thefeedroller P in Fig. 2 to prevent reverse movement of said roller.

The paper strips have manifolding material interposed between them abovethe writing tablet N, for the purpose of causing the matter written uponthe upper strip to be duplicated upon the lower ones. Heretofore wherethree paper strips were employed there have been generally used twoseparate sheets or strips of carbon paper led transversely across thewriting tablet between the paper strips. These two strips of carbonpaper have usually been wound into a single roll, Which was carried in asuitable receptacle upon the side of the machine, but owing to thepeculiar character of the usual carbon paper employed in these machines,it has been found difiicult' to properly wind two strips into a singleroll,

and in my present machine I have obviated the necessity of doing this byemploying a single strip of carbon paper, led from its supply-rollacross the writing tablet, between the two lower strips, thence around aroller or guide rod and back across the tablet between the upper andmiddle stripsQ This arrangement of the carbon strip is shown in Fig. 4,where it will be seen that it is carried in a roll P in a receptacle Qsecured to the outer side of the casing, and led thence across thewriting tablet N, between the middle and lower strips, around a guiderod R, and thence back across the plate N between the middle and upperstrips. Its free right hand end may be confined between the flanged edgeof the lid B and the upper edge of the outer side of the receptacle Q,or between the lid B and the upper edge of the side plate of the casing.When the portions of the strip which overlie the writing tablet havebeen used until they no longer give distinct copies, the lid can beraised and the free end of the carbon strip drawn to the right untilfresh portions of the strip are brought over the tablet, and the lid bethen closed and the used portion of the strip torn off, against theflanged edge of the lid which rests upon the upper edge of thereceptacle Q. As seen in Figs. 3 and 8 the spindles S which carry thesupply-rolls of the paper strips rest at their opposite ends in bearingsT. Each of these bearings has vertically-extended sides between which ispivoted near its middle a plate U having secured to its outer side acurved springV, Fig. 8, which bears against the side plate of the casingand tends to press the lower end of the pivoted plate U inward and itsupper end outward, its upper end resting against a cross pin W. Theplates U are thus yieldingly heldin aslightly inclined position, thelower ends of the two plates at the opposite ends of each one of therolls being nearer together than their upper ends, so that when the rollis placed between their upper ends and slid downward in the bearings Tthe lower ends of the plates will be forced outward against the pressureof the springs V until the spindle of the roll clears the lower ends ofthe plates, whereupon the latter will spring inward above the ends ofthe spindle and lock the latter in the bearings. WVhen it is desired tomove one of the spindles, after all of the paper strip has been unwoundfrom it, the upper ends of the plates -U at its opposite ends arepressed inward to disengage their lower ends from the spindle, whereuponthe latter is free to be Withdrawn.

Under the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 all three of the paperstrips are led between the feed-rollers O P, so that equal lengths ofthem are drawn forward at each operation of the machine, the upper twobeupon the upper check-strip is duplicated upon both of theother'strips, so that there is prerollers served upon the record-strip aduplicate of all the memoranda entered upon the checkstrips. In manycases, however, it is not necessary or desirable to preserve upon therecord-strip any more than the total or footings of the various itemsentered upon the checkstrips, with perhaps the number of the check andsometimes the date. In such cases it has heretofore been common toexpose to the manifolding material only a' sufficient portion of therecord-strip to have duplicated upon it such footings, 850., and in suchevent, as the record-strip would be used up much more slowly than thecheck-strips, it could not be led with the check:strips between the feedWithout causing .an unnecessary amount of it to be drawn forward at eachoperation. It has therefore in such instances been either drawn over thewriting tablet directly by the storage-reel or else led between a pairof feed-rollers which turned at a much less speed than the feed-rollersfor the checkstrips. In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown such modifications ofthe machine illustrated in the preceding figures as serve to convert itinto a machine such as just described. In Fig. 6 the record-strip,instead of being led between the feed-rollers O P which advance thecheck-strips, is led from the front end of the writing tablet N over aguide-roller W,

thence downward between a roller fast upon a shaft Y and a second rollerX journaled in arms X adjustable by screws X thence forward over aroller Z',thence downward around a roller A and thence rearward aroundthe storage-reel T. The latter is driven by gearing from the feed-rollerP, the pinion upon the feed-roller meshing with a gear wheel B fast uponthe shaft Y, the Wheel B meshing with a wheel C and the latter with apinion D which may be fast upon the hub of a flanged disk correspondingto the disk J in Fig. 5, to form-a frictional driving connection similartothat in Fig. 3, the storage reel being turned at each operation justfar enough to wind up the portion of the record-strip advanced by therollers X, X The various items of each transaction are entered upon theouter check-strip through the portion of the opening W at the right ofthe cross-bar X in Fig. 6, and the footings, date and such othermemoranda as it is desired to have duplicated upon the record strip onlyare entered upon the outer check-strip through the portion of theopening W at the left of the cross-bar X. Located above the writingtablet Nand overlying that part of it which is beneath the portion ofthe opening W at the right of the cross-bar X is a thin metal plate F.between which and the writing tablet N the record-strip is led, whilethe two check-strips pass over said plate. The plate E may be supportedat its opposite sides either upon the writing tablet or upon the sideplate of the casing. This plate prevents any of the memoranda enteredupon the checkstrips at the right of the cross-bar X from be- It will beunderstood that the lower carbon sheet rests upon the upper side of theplate E the plate separating it from the recordstrip, both'of the carbonsheets being in this instance of the same width or formed of re-' versefolds of the same strip as described in connection with the precedingviews. The provision of the plate E obviates the necessity of slottingthe writing tablet N beneath the cross-bar X and leading. therecord-strip downward through said slot, as has heretofore been done,and. permits all threeof the strips to be led forward over the wholelength of the writing tablet.

I have shown a tension device applied to the supply-roll K of therecord-strip consisting of a curved plate F which is fast upon arock-shaft G mounted at its opposite ends in the side plates of thecasing. The shaft G has fast upon it an arm H to the outer end of whichis connected a coiled spring I secured at its upper end to the sideplate of the casing and operating to press the plate F against the paperroll K and thereby offer re-' sistance to the unwinding of the roll. Asimilar tension device may be applied to each of the other rolls ifdesired.

In machines of this class it is desirable to keep the storage-reel andthe record-strip Wound thereon entirely within the control of theproprietor or his authorized agent, and wholly inaccessible to the clerkwho uses: the machines. At the same time it is desirable that the clerkshould be able to obtain access to the supply rolls of the paper strips,so that he may be able to adjust or straighten said strips if theyshould become creased or deflected from their proper path, or to releasethem in case their edges should become caught and crumpled or torn, assometimes occurs. To that end I have divided the easing of my machineinto two compartments by a fixed partition plate J extending from thebottom of the casing to a point just below the feed-roller P, as seeninFigs. 2 and 3. The portion of the casing to the right of this partitionin Fig. 3 constitutes the supplycompartment and contains thesupply-rolls of the paper strips, while the portion of the casing to theleft of the partition 'constitutes the storage-compartment and containsthe storage-reel upon which the record-strip is wound after it has beendrawn over the writing tablet. Accessto this storage-compartment canonly be had by opening the door H, and this door is controlled by thelock J whose key the proprietor may keep in his possession. On the otherhand access to the supply-compartment maybe had by simply disengagingthe latch E from the catch of the lid B and lifting the latter. Thislatch is always accessible from the exterior of the casing by means ofits projecting stud G, so that the clerk can at any time obtain accessto the supply-compartment of the machine for any necessary purpose.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- 1. In an autographicregister, the combination of the feed-rollers for advancing the paperstrips, a storage-reel, a flanged friction disk at one end of said reelin which the roller scribed.

2. In an autographic register, the combination of a pair of feed-rollersfor advancing the paper strips, an operating handle and a sprocket-wheelfast upon one of said rollers, a storage-reel, a flanged friction diskat one end of said reel within which the roller of the reel fits andagainst which the end of the roller abuts, a spring bearing for theopposite end of the roller operating to press the roller against thefriction disk, a second sprocket wheel fast upon the hub of the frictiondisk, and a sprocket-chain passed over said sprocket-wheel and over thesprocket-wheel upon the feed-roller, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

3. In an autographic register, the combination of the pair offeed-rollers O P for drawing the paper strips forward from theirsupply-rolls over the writing tablet, the operatin g handle D andsprocket-wheel E fast upon the roller P, the flanged disk I loose uponthe shaft L and provided with the sprocketwheel M, the chain F passedaround the sprocket-wheels E M, the roller T of the storage-reel fittingwithin the flanged disk J at one end, and the spring-pressed plate Hhinged to the casing and affording a bearing for the opposite end of theroller T, substantially as and for the purpose. described.

4. In an autographic register, the combina tion, with the writing tablethaving the checkstrips and record-strip led over it, of the singlecarbon-strip Wound in a supply-roll carried in a receptacle at one sideof the writing tablet and led thence across the tablet between two ofthe paper strips, thence around a roller or guide and back across thetablet between one of said two strips and the third strip, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

5. In an autographic register, the combination of the casing A havingthe receptacle Q secured to its side, the writing tablet N mounted inthe casing A, the hinged lid B extending over the top of the receptacleand provided with the opening W above the tablet N, and the singlecarbon-strip P carried in a roll in a receptacle Qand led thence acrossthe tablet N between the, middle and lower paper strips, thence aroundthe guide R, thence backward over the tablet N between themiddle andupper strips, and having its free end confined between the lid B and theupper edge of the receptacle Q, substantially as described.

6. In an autographic register, the combination, with the spindles S ofthe paper strip supply-rolls, of the bearings T secured upon the sidesof the casing A and having the vertically-extended sides, and thespring-pressed plates U pivoted therein and co-operating with thespindles S in the manner described.

'7. In an autographic register, the combination, with the writing tabletover which the paper strips and manifolding material are passed, of aguard plate overlying a portion of the tablet, over which plate thecheckstrips are led and between which plate and the Writing tablet therecord-strip is led, whereby the matter entered upon the checkstripsover said plate is not duplicated upon the record-strip, while thatentered upon the check-strips over the portion of thewriting tablet notcovered by said plate is duplicated upon said strip, substantially asand for the purpose described.

8. In an autographicregister, the comb1nation of the feed-rollers O Pfor advancing the paper strips, the roller 0 being provided at itsmiddle with a circumferential groove, the housing A, the sliding block Zmovable therein and having mounted in it the pressure roller Y fittingin the groove in the feed-roller O and bearing against the spindle ofsaid roller, the spring B, and the adjusting screw O, substantially asdescribed.

JOHN PFEIFER.

Witnesses:

J. S. MOMAI-ION, F. A. L. SNEOKNER.

